


Chance

by Wrennydennydoo



Series: Filling the Holes [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Galra Keith (Voltron), Other, shiro is keith's legal guardian, that's how they know each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:13:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9681827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wrennydennydoo/pseuds/Wrennydennydoo
Summary: From behind him, one of Takashi’s classmates yell, “Hey Shirogane! We’re headed back to the Garrison!” Takashi shouts back an affirmative, then looks at the kid. “Hey, what’s your name?” The kid looks up shyly. “Keith,” he murmurs. And then, very hesitant, “Is your name Shiro?”





	

When they meet, Shiro is sixteen and a newly minted Galaxy Garrison Pilot, passing all the entrance exams with flying colors and shooting stars. He’s highest in his class, which is no small feat considering he skips the first level.

 

When they meet, Keith is nine and also newly minted- but into another foster family, and they can only care so much about an antisocial kid that refuses to talk. The couple has three other mouths to deal with, and the childcare system and all its staff are overworked and lack funding.

 

On a weekend just like the past three before, Takashi Shirogane wanders around this small, average town with a couple friends, taking a break from classes. It’s a quiet place, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and the baristas at the Starbucks and the bookshop employees already have his name memorized. Everything, from the official Galaxy Garrison Souvenir Shop to the Wal-Mart, from Main Street to the tiny community college to the dirt roads leading out of this place, is quaint and pleasant. Takashi hasn’t seen anything about this place he doesn’t like.

 

His class-mates head towards the park, the only green spot in forty miles, kicking at birds. He follows, but only out of familiarity. Takashi might be well liked by his classmates, and they aren’t mean or anything- he’s just not particularly close to any of them.

 

They’re walking by the playground when he notices a kid by himself sitting on a bench. Takashi wouldn’t think anything of it, but it’s late, and there aren’t any adults in the area.

 

 _It is kind of unusual_ , he thinks, and as he gets closer, he realizes that the kid is- silently crying. Large, gasping sobs, snotty nose, the works.

Takashi glances around, looking for a concerned parent or someone, and seeing none, approaches the bench and takes a seat.

 

The kid edges away from him.

 

“Uh, hey, are you ok? Do you need help or anything?” Takashi queries, and it dawns on him how sketchy he is, coming up to an unsupervised and crying child. He tries to add some friendly concern by offering to find the kid’s parents.

 

The kid cries harder, but wipes at his cheeks and nose with the back of his hand.

 

“Hey bud, it’s alright! Are you hurt?” The kid nods, dark hair spilling into his eyes. His legs unfold from his chest, and Takashi sees that his knees are a mess of bruises and scrapes, like someone was continuously pushing him on asphalt. There’s bits of gravel in it too, and it’s clearly been there for a few hours and hasn’t been tended to.

 

From behind him, one of Takashi’s classmates yell, “Hey Shirogane! We’re headed back to the Garrison!”

 

Takashi shouts back an affirmative, then looks at the kid. “Hey, what’s your name?”

The kid looks shyly up. “Keith,” he murmurs. And then, very hesitant, “Is your name Shiro?”

 

Takashi shrugs. “Mine’s Takashi, but you can call me Shiro if you want, I guess. It’s a cool nickname.” Takashi stands up. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

 

“Ok,” Keith whispers, and crawls off the bench onto the ground. He walks in an unbalanced scramble, and Takashi makes sure to slow his stride to match the little guy’s limping speed as they head towards a public bathroom.

 

“So, do you live around here?” Takashi asks later, wiping the worst of the grit and blood away. There’s a trickle of blood dripping into a white sock, and he figures they’ll have to throw it away.

 

Keith nods, but doesn’t respond verbally. He keeps glancing down at his knees and the slowly forming scabs.

 

Takashi tries to be careful, but occasionally the kid hisses, just like a cat. It’s cute in a little kid way, and each time Takashi apologizes and is a little gentler.

 

“Do you have a guardian around here somewhere? A responsible adult who might be looking for you?” He tries again, this time with a little more luck.

 

“Yeah.” This time the response is louder and clearer. “I live with Maye and Dave- OW!”

 

“Sorry!” Takashi sets the paper towel aside. “Ok. Do you have an address I can take you to?”

 

Keith nods.

 

It turns out the house a few blocks away, and when Takashi rings the doorbell, a large woman talking quickly on the phone answers.

 

“-No, I called the library already-OH, thank goodness!” Her exclamation is loud when she sees Keith, who latches onto Takashi’s hand like a Chinese finger-trap. “No, he’s right here. Yes, I’ll call you later.” She hangs up and stuffs the phone in her pocket.

 

“Keith! I’ve told you not to wander off like that. Dear me, you had us worried!” When she notices Takashi, she adds, “Were you the one that found him? I’m dreadfully sorry, he disappears on us a lot. I haven’t seen you around town, are you new?”

 

Takashi feels like he’s surrounded by a whirlwind of woman. Before he can answer, however, Keith talks.

“This is Shiro! He’s my friend!” Keith shyly glances at Takashi again. “Right?” He whispers.

 

 _Shiro_ just nods.

 

Later, Maye tells him how unusual it is for Keith to speak more than yes or no answers, and extends an open invitation for dinner every weekend.

 

“This boy isolates himself, and he’s latched onto you so fast. If you’re interested, we’ll hire you to babysit him! Only on weekends, of course, but I think you can help him. He’s in a rough situation, you know.”

 

Shiro _doesn’t_ know, but he says yes.

 

That weekend becomes the beginning.


End file.
